Community mourns the loss of three, funds needed

Brandon K. Scott

Published 8:55 am, Thursday, July 3, 2014

Photo: Jason Fochtman

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Texas Game Wardens with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department helps transport part of a boat involved in a fatal boating accident that occurred on Tuesday evening on Lake Conroe. As of Wednesday afternoon, the two-boat incident left three victims dead. less

Texas Game Wardens with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department helps transport part of a boat involved in a fatal boating accident that occurred on Tuesday evening on Lake Conroe. As of Wednesday afternoon, ... more

Photo: Jason Fochtman

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A Constable with Montgomery County Precinct 1 helps recreate the scene of a fatal boating accident that occurred on Tuesday evening on Lake Conroe. As of Wednesday afternoon, the two-boat incident left three victims dead. less

A Constable with Montgomery County Precinct 1 helps recreate the scene of a fatal boating accident that occurred on Tuesday evening on Lake Conroe. As of Wednesday afternoon, the two-boat incident left three ... more

Photo: Jason Fochtman

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A constable with Montgomery County Precinct 1 investigates the scene of a fatal boating accident that occurred on Tuesday evening on Lake Conroe. As of Wednesday afternoon, the two-boat incident left three victims dead. less

A constable with Montgomery County Precinct 1 investigates the scene of a fatal boating accident that occurred on Tuesday evening on Lake Conroe. As of Wednesday afternoon, the two-boat incident left three ... more

Photo: Jason Fochtman

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Montgomery County Precinct 1 Lt. Tim Cade speaks to the media as law enforcement recreate the scene of a fatal boating accident that occurred on Tuesday evening on Lake Conroe. As of Wednesday afternoon, the two-boat incident left three victims dead. less

Montgomery County Precinct 1 Lt. Tim Cade speaks to the media as law enforcement recreate the scene of a fatal boating accident that occurred on Tuesday evening on Lake Conroe. As of Wednesday afternoon, the ... more

Photo: Jason Fochtman

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Constables with Montgomery County Precinct 1 helps recreate the scene of a fatal boating accident that occurred on Tuesday evening on Lake Conroe. As of Wednesday afternoon, the two-boat incident left three victims dead. less

Constables with Montgomery County Precinct 1 helps recreate the scene of a fatal boating accident that occurred on Tuesday evening on Lake Conroe. As of Wednesday afternoon, the two-boat incident left three ... more

Photo: Jason Fochtman

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A Texas Game Warden with Texas Parks and Wildlife Department helps recreate the scene of a fatal boating accident that occurred on Tuesday evening on Lake Conroe. As of Wednesday afternoon, the two-boat incident left three victims dead. less

A Texas Game Warden with Texas Parks and Wildlife Department helps recreate the scene of a fatal boating accident that occurred on Tuesday evening on Lake Conroe. As of Wednesday afternoon, the two-boat ... more

Photo: Jason Fochtman

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Constables with Montgomery County Precinct 1 transport part of a boat involved in a fatal boating accident that occurred the evening of July 1 on Lake Conroe. The crash resulted in the deaths of three people, two adult sisters and one of their children. less

Constables with Montgomery County Precinct 1 transport part of a boat involved in a fatal boating accident that occurred the evening of July 1 on Lake Conroe. The crash resulted in the deaths of three people, ... more

Photo: Jason Fochtman

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Constables with Montgomery County Precinct 1 recreate the scene of a fatal boating accident that occurred on Tuesday evening on Lake Conroe. As of Wednesday afternoon, the two-boat incident left three victims dead. less

Constables with Montgomery County Precinct 1 recreate the scene of a fatal boating accident that occurred on Tuesday evening on Lake Conroe. As of Wednesday afternoon, the two-boat incident left three victims ... more

Photo: Jason Fochtman

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Community mourns the loss of three, funds needed

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It was a shock to many throughout the Kingwood, Huffman, New Caney and surrounding comunities when the news broke that three local residents had been killed in a boat accident on Lake Conroe.

The three deaths resulted from a two-boat crash on Lake Conroe on Tuesday, July 1 around 9 p.m.

The body of Kristina Cole Frost, 29, known as “Krissy” to her friends and family members, was recovered Wednesday, July 2 half a mile north of the San Jacinto River Authority dam.

Frost’s sister Leilani Cole, 30, of New Caney, was found dead when emergency responders arrived at the scene after receiving a 911 call at 9:07 p.m. Tuesday, July 1.

Kristina’s son, Jason Frost, 9, died at Hermann Memorial Hospital on Wednesday morning from injuries suffered in the accident, while a three-year-old victim remains in critical condition.

According to several reports, Jason was a student at Woodland Hills Elementary and played little league baseball in Kingwood.

Eight family members, including the deceased, occupied an open bow pleasure boat traveling northbound when it was struck by another boat headed southwest in the lake with only two onboard.

A 45-year-old male, who operated the boat that occupied the larger group, was injured and treated at Conroe Regional Medical Center. In total, at least seven of the 12 people involved in the crash are expected to recover.

Investigators on the scene said it appeared that neither of the boats saw the other one coming, which led to the collision.

One of the fishermen in the smaller boat was reported by law enforcement sources as Texas country music artist Josh Ward, who was released Wednesday morning from Conroe Regional Medical Center with a fractured elbow.

The investigation is being handled by Montgomery County Constable Precinct 1 and the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office.

Investigators would not comment on whether alcohol played a major role in the crash, but they have not ruled out the possibility.

No criminal charges had been filed as of Wednesday evening.

Family, friends and fellow community members started a fundraising website at www.gofundme.com/b0g4co to help raise funds for the family for a three-way funeral for Kristina, Leilani and Jason.

Scene reconstruction

Investigators are trying to determine whether the boats had proper lighting and what exactly led to the confusion.

Texas Parks and Wildlife sent a boat accident reconstruction team to help with the investigation, which Sgt. Jonathan Heaton said includes an accident scene of 300-400 yards wide and 25 feet deep.

After sunset, the San Jacinto River Authority requires boaters on Lake Conroe to operate at a planed speed, essentially floating with the water current.

“Now that’s very hard to determine through the investigation because it depends on the boat size, the boat weight, the capacity of the people that are in the boat, which boat goes faster at planed speed,” Cade said. “That’s what they’re trying to determine through this accident reconstruction.

“Time is of the essence (at the rescue site). When the North Montgomery County Fire Department showed up on scene, their firefighters risked their lives jumping aboard a boat that was sinking.”

Lighting, safety issues

The boat that occupied the deceased victims contained lights, but investigators said it is unclear if the lights were on, or visible to the other boat.

Boats are required to have a pair of red and green navigational lights in the front, along with a white light on the anchor, according to Cade.

Precinct 1 Justice of the Peace Wayne Mack and Constable Don Chumley expect to meet with San Jacinto River Authority officials within the next week regarding extra lighting on watercrafts.

Mack said that because Lake Conroe is a residential area, lights are prevalent across the lake’s horizon, making it easy for some boats to blend in and get overlooked.

“(Lake Conroe) is not like being out in the middle of a lake that doesn’t have a bunch of residential stuff and development,” Mack said. “Because of that, I think it’s important (for SJRA) to address lighting in that area.”

It was unclear Wednesday whether the deceased victims wore safety vests, but Mack added that there could have been more fatalities if the survivors had not wore them.

Anybody under the age of 13 is required to wear a life vest on a boat that’s less than 28 feet at all times, Cade said.